A Wren in the Sparrows

Bible Reading: 1 John 2:3-6

Lina raised her binoculars, eyes scanning over the marsh for a sign of movement.

“Do you see any birds yet, Justin?” she asked her older brother.

“Not yet,” he answered. “Because we’re here so early, the birds are just waking up. You have to be patient when you’re birdwatching.”

Lina sat down on a log beside him to watch the sunrise over the water.

“So how is school going?” Justin asked.

Lina sighed and frowned. “My friends have started making fun of this one girl. They make jokes about her when she’s not around. I know I shouldn’t laugh, so I just try to be quiet when they talk about her.”

“That’s hard, Lina.” Justin looked off into the distance. He suddenly sat up straight. “Look over there,” he whispered, pointing toward a bush. “There’s a bunch of birds.”

Justin raised his binoculars, and Lina did the same. “Do you know what species they are?” he asked her.

Lina squinted into the lenses, spotting little brown birds hopping around in and out of the brush. “Yeah. They’re all sparrows.”

“Look carefully,” Justin said. “I see one just below that branch that’s different.”

Lina’s eyes lit up. “Yeah! Even though it’s a brown bird like the sparrows, it’s acting differently. It’s bobbing its tail up and down.”

“You’re right. That’s not a sparrow, it’s a wren.” Justin smiled. “Are you a wren, Lina? You like to sing, and you have brown hair.”

She giggled. “Of course not! I’m a person. I don’t act like a bird.”

Justin lowered his binoculars. “You know, these birds remind me a lot of you and your friends. You’re a Christian, right?”

Lina nodded. “Yes.”

“Then you can act differently from your friends. You can reach out to that girl and help her see that Jesus cares about her, no matter what your friends are doing.”

Lina caught on and smiled. “So I should be like the wren. I should be like Jesus and do what’s right even when everyone else around me isn’t.”

“Right.” Justin pointed to the sparrows hopping around the wren as it continued to bob its tail up and down. “When your friends see the love of Jesus in your heart, maybe they’ll want to act differently too!” -Abby Ciona

How About You?

Do you ever feel pressured to go along with others even when what they’re doing is wrong? When you want to go along with the crowd, remember that Jesus has changed your heart so you can obey Him and show others His love. He sacrificed Himself to save you, and He will give you the courage to make sacrifices for others so they can see His love for them. Trust Him to help you stand up for Him.

Today’s Key Verse:
1 John 2:5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Stand up for what’s right